DARDANELLE - About a year into planning stages of a fine arts facility at the Dardanelle High School, school board members voted Monday to look into ways of reducing costs, according to Kim Witt, district administrative assistant.

One way to decrease cost, the board agreed, was to reduce the number of seats in the proposed auditorium, she said. The board requested a cost estimate from the architects on an auditorium with about 900-1,000 seats instead of 1,110 as previously suggested.

The board's budget committee is expected to meet later this month with architects, the construction manager and fine arts instructors to determine a new project budget.

According to a Feb. 5 Courier article by Flora Salyers, the 26,800 fine arts facility is expected to be financed by a $1.9 million state partnership grant and $1.6 million in local funds already available. The district is not expected to ask for a millage increase.

Superintendent John Thompson was not available for comment after this week's meeting.

In other business, the board reinstated two students who had previously been expelled from the district. Board members also accepted three student petitions for transfer into the Dardanelle School District, and one transfer out of the district.

Several personnel changes were made during Monday's meeting. Rachel Hott was hired as an elementary teacher, as well as Cathy Woodson for special education and Ginger Gilbert as an accompanist for the choir program. A resignation was also accepted from a district bus driver.

One certified position was added to the salary schedule because of an increase in the Dardanelle kindergarten group. The board approved the hire of an additional kindergarten teacher to accommodate.